Gay City worker sues former hedge fund employer for more than £1m over 'campaign of homophobic abuse'

A gay City worker is suing his former hedge fund employer for more than £1 million over claims he suffered an “unrelenting” campaign of homophobic abuse at work.

Paul Newton claimed he was mocked by staff at Balyasny Europe Asset Management as they made limp-wristed hand gestures and told him he should not drive his high-powered Aston Martin.

Colleagues also openly made jokes about his sex life, claiming he wanted to have relations with multiple men, and called him “camp” and “effeminate”, treating him like a “curiosity on exhibit”, the 43-year-old alleged.

...subjected to unrelenting abuse based on his sexual orientation by his colleaguesWrit

Mr Newton, who joined the office in spring 2014, was reportedly fired from his role as an asset manager for poor performance and losses linked to the Brexit vote at the end of June, according to the Evening Standard.

He is now suing the firm, which has offices in London, America and Hong Kong, for unfair dismissal as he believes his sacking was the culmination of two-years of abuse.

In a writ seen by the paper, Mr Newton described the working environment at the firm as “intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive”.

He claimed he was “constantly told that he looked like a woman” because he had long hair and said his colleagues “had the unmistakable assumption that he was extremely promiscuous”.

Mr Newton, whose barrister is Lawrence Jones, has since suffered depression and anxiety, and used to cry in his office over the abuse, the writ said.

The Central London Employment Tribunal confirmed the dates of the hearing but would not confirm any details.

The Telegraph has contacted Balyasny Europe Asset Management for comment but has not yet had a reply. In a statement issued to the Standard, the firm said it would “resist the claim vigorously” and affirmed it was “committed, by policy and ethical commitment, to a work-force free from harassment”. It added that the claims were "without merit".